Lyons City Park

Yesterday we drove to Lyons Oregon to an old favorite birding site of ours, Lyons City Park.  We discovered this park in December of 2013.  Despite bitter cold weather and snow, we enjoyed our experience and knew we would be back, in fact I checked, and we have been back 34 times! The park is made up of abandoned log ponds. On this day we were completely surprised to discover major upgrades.  Now there is a paved and striped parking lot, a new restroom, and cement walkways. 

We had driven in fog from Dallas, thru Salem and up the Santiam Canyon to arrive in bright sunshine and brilliant fall colors. I couldn't get my gear together and out the door of the van faster enough. We started a quick bird list for Lyons City Park and walked down the path to the third pond which crosses over to the ponds of the John Neal Memorial Park. 

We started a new bird list here for John Neal Park and walked on.  John Neal Park and campground are closed for the winter, but you can walk through it on foot. We choose a shorter path because of my continuing back pain. Returning to the van, we enjoyed a lunch of hot tomato soup and tuna fish and crackers, while listening to the high-pitched calls of the American Widgeon on the pond. It would be impossible to have had any more fun.